REDUCED Communication costs are fast becoming a reality for South African companies previously limited in their choice of telecommunication services through the Telkom monopoly. “With the technology advancements of VOIP and choice of service providers, companies now have the opportunity to expand their choice of communications channels with the benefit of lowering costs,” says Tony Smallwood who works with Real Time Travel Connections in Johannesburg. “Skype is a global voice over IP (VOIP) solution which has helped individuals to communicate with each other at no cost if both parties are on Skype, or at a significantly reduced cost if one party is not on Skype, using least-cost-routing technology.” But Skype has never been recognised as a true business tool due to the requirement of a Skype specific telephone handset being connected to a PC with a broadband internet connection, says Smallwood. “This made it impractical for a business to adopt the technology as a communication tool. “With the development of a new device, VoSky Exchange, integration of Skype into a company’s PBX is now possible. Businesses are now able to adopt Skype as a functional tool for telephony communications out of and into the business. “The solution brings Skype to every telephone within the company. Using any handset connected to the company’s internal PBX, calls to any Skype user anywhere in the world are now possible. In addition to this, the Skype solution can be enabled as the company's least-cost-routing solution for international calls.” For in-bound Skype calls, calls will land on the company PBX and can be routed to any extension on the PBX. For a South African company with overseas trading partners, the company is able to subscribe Skype telephone numbers in the countries where these trading partners are based, Smallwood explained. “The trading partner will make a local telephone call to the in-country Skype number which will then be routed to the company’s PBX through the Skype network. This call is at a fraction of the cost of a standard international call.” Smallwood believes that companies in the freight industry are ideally suited to the Skype VoSky Exchange solution. For further info email tony@rttc.co.za
